The Metro-Detroit area has plenty of opportunity to go Irish for the holiday. The 2012 Guide to St. Patrick's Day in Detroit will give you plenty of information about Irish pubs, parades, events, Danny Boy Marathons, history, recipes and more.
Parades
Photo © DetroitIrish.org
There are several parades taking place across the Metro area in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, including:
Detroit: Now in its 54th year, Detroit's St. Patrick's Parade will take place at 2 PM on Sunday, March 11th. It runs along Michigan Avenue in Corktown and features Dennis Haynes as the Grand Marshal. The Corktown Races precede the parade and include a Kids Run and 5K run/walk. The parade includes floats, pipe & drum bands and novelty groups.
Royal Oak: On Saturday, March 10th at 11:30 AM, Royal Oak will host its St. Patrick's Day Parade. The parade route is along Washington Avenue.
Parties
There are several parties and festivals taking place across the Metro area in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, including:
Detroit: The Gaelic League / Irish American Club in Detroit hosts several events in celebration of St. Patrick:
- Parade Celebration on Sunday, March 11th starting at noon. There will be Irish Music on two stages. Cost is $10 if non-member.
- Pre-St. Patrick's Party on Friday, March 16th from 5 PM to 1 AM. The party will have a DJ and there will be a fish dinner.
- St. Patrick's Day Party on Saturday, March 17th from noon to 1 AM. There will be food, dance, drink and Irish Music. For instance, McSpillin' and Codgers will perform in the tent, while Inis Ceol, Terry & Frank, and Larry Larson will perform in the hall. Cost is $10 for non-members.
Westland: The 27th annual Irish Fest takes place from 3 to midnight at the Hellenic Center on Joy Road. Admission is $10 an adult and kids are free.
Irish Pubs and Restaurants
Whether your pleasure is Scotch Eggs, Shepherd's Pie, authentic digs and/or rowdy jigs, this list of Irish pubs and restaurants should point you in the right direction for the holiday.
Irish Societies in Detroit
Information about everything Irish in Detroit -- festivals, organizations, dances, books, history, stores -- is available through either The Gaelic League or DetroitIrish.org of greater Detroit and Michigan.
Irish Neighborhoods: Corktown
Photo © Derek Karr
Immigrants from Ireland in the mid 1800s settled predominantly in Corktown, a neighborhood just south of downtown Detroit that is better known as home to old Tiger Stadium. The Irish history still gives the neighborhood character and charm. Corktown's history, both Irish and otherwise, is chronicled in Detroit's Corktown.
Ferndale's 'Danny Boy' Marathon: 'In Sunlight or in Shadow'
Photo © Laura Sternberg, Licensed to About.com
When you're the Guinness World Record holder in 2008 for the most continuous singing of the song Danny Boy, there is no point in trying to one up yourself -- of course, maybe there is a limit to how many versions of the song the patrons of AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale should have to endure. Even if you missed the Danny Boy marathon, the event is memorialized in a book by Karen Wilhelm called In Sunlight or in Shadow. AJ's Music Cafe went in another direction in 2009 by hosting the 240-hour Assembly Line Concert. It was such a success that the event was repeated in 2010.
Recipes
If you want to do more than wear green for St. Patrick's Day, you can make the holiday about the food. Here are a few recipes of authentic Irish dishes:
